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Rap Music – Issue #7

Rap music is stylistically and lyrically diverse, representing a range of experiences and worldviews.

Originating in the Bronx, New York City, in the early 1970s.It features rhythmic, rhyming speech delivered over a musical backdrop, known as a beat or instrumental track. Its earliest performers comprise MCs (derived from master of ceremonies but referring to the actual rapper) and DJs (who use and often manipulate pre-recorded tracks as a backdrop to the rap), break dancers and graffiti writers. Rap music is a musical form of vocal delivery that is a primary component of hip-hop culture. Early pioneers like Grandmaster Flash and DJ Grand Wizard Theodore developed key techniques such as scratching and looping “break beats”—instrumental sections of songs that people could dance to. The core elements of rap include: Content: The lyrics, which often incorporate “street vernacular” and address a wide range of social and political issues, such as racism and poverty. Flow: The rhythm and rhyme scheme of the delivery. Delivery: The cadence, tone, and vocal qualities used by the rapper (MC). The Beat: The instrumental accompaniment, typically created by a DJ or producer using turntables, samplers, drum machines (like the iconic 808 drum machine), and synthesizers.

Sampling and the evolution of rap and hip hop go hand in hand. Essentially, this comes down to combining old classics with contemporary sounds. Rap music has deep cultural roots and several precursors:  The tradition of rhythmic storytelling by West African griots over drums is often cited as an early precursor;African American Traditions Influences blues and jazz vocal styles; Jamaican Toasting (or Deejaying) A Rhythmic Chanting or Talking Style Performed over a Beat; “playing the dozens,” a verbal game where participants exchange witty insults about each other’s family to demonstrate verbal skill and coolness without getting genuinely angry, evolving into ‘battle rap.’ and 1960s African American poetry and spoken word artists like The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron.Changes to the musical production of hip-hop, along with growing stylistic diversity and advances in technology, led to the community-imposed concept of an old and new school. The “Old School” is associated with the period from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. Rap gained commercial viability in 1979 with The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” and later with artists like Kurtis Blow. “New School” rap was coined by the 2nd generation artist (1984) to distinguish the pop sensibilities of the first commercial generation of rap artists and ranged from the pop-oriented humorous style of the Fat Boys, for example, to the rock-oriented sounds of say, Run-D.M.C. Women rappers like Queen Latifah introduced Black women’s point of view to rap fans and proved that they were as skilled and commercially successful as the men.The chaotic sounds of Public Enemy and N.W.A became known as hardcore. The harsh lyrical content mirrored the deteriorating conditions of the inner-cities and pushed the boundaries of lyrical complexity and social commentary. also known as “conscious” rap and a sub-genre “gangsta” rap characterized by its lyrical focus on the often-violent realities of inner-city life, including crime, gang activity, and drug dealing. In the 2000s, hip-hop music was mainstream.Kanye West’s production and lyricism redirected attention away from gangsta rap and explored a range of topics including his middle-class upbringing, anti-Black racism, corporatism, and his faith presented in full ‘boasting’ style. Additionally, Eminem will become a most revered lyricist, by rap artists and rap fans alike. Encouraging white artists to Foster relationships with people of colour and follow their lead in dismantling oppressive systems. a legacy of Vanilla Ice  the first solo white rapper to achieve commercial success in 1990. Musically, music-making turned away from the East Coast and the West coast and found a new home in the South. Several epicentres develop influential styles: Miami (Miami bass), New Orleans (bounce), Houston (screwed), and Atlanta (crunk and trap). By the 2010s, socially conscious rap will cross over into the mainstream as R&B and rap artists respond to tension borne from increased police and vigilante shootings of unarmed Black men, women, and children, and from advances in technology for self-production and instant sharing through social media. Key artists include Kendrick Lamar. In the 2010s we witness the rise of female MCs as producers of critically acclaimed albums. Women leading the trend include Nicky Minaj and Cardi B. By the 21st century, Rap had become a global phenomenon, influencing music, fashion, and culture worldwide. Fame in rap often comes with mainstream success and cultural impact, and few have shaped culture like Jay-Z. From his fluid rhymes about hustle and heartache to becoming a mogul in music and business, his influence spans beyond music charts to fashion and social activism.

The Pinkprint is primarily a hip hop album. The album’s lyrics touch upon themes of her family, loss, death and her struggle with guilt. The Pinkprint opens with the autobiographical song, “All Things Go” – A mid-tempo ballad, which slowly unfolds and contains “heavy beats and heavy bass” along with “subtle synths”. The lyrics reflect on fame and the speed in which her life has moved, to strained relationships with her family and her own child which references an abortion. “I Lied” – A ballad that contains a sluggish production that does not change tempo. “The Crying Game” – Features vocal support of Jessie Ware. The song mixes “sombre balladry with downbeat guitar loops” and is described as one of the album’s most emotional songs. “Get on Your Knees” – Features vocals from American singer Ariana Grande. Minaj raps in a “trance-like” style. “Feeling Myself” – Features singer-songwriter Beyoncé, and is built over a West Coast synth, driving bass and drums along with bells and whistles incorporated into the production. “Only” is a hip-hop song that features guest appearances from Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown, who sings the chorus of the song. “Want Some More” (with uncredited vocals from Jeremih) The lyrics see Minaj stroking her own ego and check anyone who dares to doubt her worth. “Four Door Aventador”- Contains humming and exhibits low-key production with lyrics revolving around mafia imagery. “Favorite” – Features American R&B singer Jeremih and is a return to a “romantic narrative”. The song is lyrically sexually explicit and Minaj raps about wanting to be the “primary role in a man’s life”. “Buy a Heart” – Features rapper Meek Mill, who sings the hook of the song. “Trini Dem Girls”- A dancehall track that features a guest appearance from rapper LunchMoney Lewis. The song contains echoing handclaps and a “Diwali Riddim” dancehall reggae with a “blaring” chorus. “Anaconda” – A hip-hop and pop rap song that heavily samples “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot. “The Night Is Still Young” is a pop song with verses revolving around a routine night out at a club. The lead single, “Pills n Potions” – A slow-burning piano ballad opens with a sparse, haunting drum beat, while Minaj sings the pre-chorus in a feather-like near-whisper. An echo effect is added to her vocals, and “blooming” chants are sung to create the song’s chorus. “Bed of Lies” – features Skylar Grey and is a slow-tempo song built over triumphant production, pianos, rolling drums and booming bass set before Minaj begins to rap about an ex-lover. “Grand Piano” – The final song on the album’s standard version and is the only song on the album that is not a hip hop song; it features no rapping from Minaj nor drums. The song is a ballad that contains pianos and violins, with lyrics revolving around Minaj “feeling stupid” and feeling “played” by a former lover

Queen released in August 10, 2018. Critical reviews generally described it as an ambitious but overlong 19-track project that paired ferocious hardcore rap tracks with softer R&B and pop experiments. “Ganja Burns” Vulnerable, angry, and melodic dancehall-infused opener. “Majesty” (feat. Eminem & Labrinth) Cinematic and high-speed. A major flex where Eminem delivers a fast-paced guest verse alongside Labrinth’s soaring hook. “Barbie Dreams” Playful, sharp celebrity roast. “Rich Sex” (feat. Lil Wayne) Trap-heavy braggadocio. “Hard White” Dark, aggressive street-rap. “Bed” (feat. Ariana Grande) Commercial, breezy R&B-pop. “Thought I Knew You” (feat. The Weeknd) Atmospheric, moody R&B. “Run & Hide” Mellow, stripped-back interlude/ballad territory. “Chun Swae” (feat. Swae Lee) Laid-back, melodic hip-hop. “Chun-Li” Widely considered one of the defining, most dynamic rap showcases on the project. “LLC” A sharp, self-reliant anthem about protecting her brand, assets, and independence. “Good Form” High-energy bounce and club-ready rap. “Nip Tuck” Atmospheric and improv-heavy melodic track. “2 Lit 2 Late Interlude” Caribbean steel drum and ambient textures. “Come See About Me” Piano ballad. Praised as one of her more genuine, stripped-back emotional singing performances on the album. “Sir” (feat. Future) hypnotic trap cut. “Miami” Features light-hearted references (like Patti LaBelle) and brings back the bouncy energy near the finish line. “Coco Chanel” (feat. Foxy Brown) Caribbean-rooted heavy-hitter. “Inspirations Outro” Closes out the 19-track marathon by acknowledging her roots and influences.

Pink Friday (released November 2010), a landmark debut studio album, bridged hardcore hip-hop swagger with glittering pop-R&B crossover ambitions. Tracklist 1. “I’m the Best” An introductory declaration of self-worth and hustle. 2. “Roman’s Revenge” (feat. Eminem) Nicki unleashes her aggressive British-accented persona, Roman Zolanski, going toe-to-toe with Eminem in peak “Slim Shady” form over a frantic, clattering beat. 3. “Did It On’em” A raw, bass-heavy club and street anthem. Powered by a booming synth loop and unapologetically vulgar, hard-hitting punchlines, it remains one of her most celebrated pure-rap moments on the project. 4. “Right Thru Me” A softer, melodic R&B-leaning shift. 5. “Fly” (feat. Rihanna) An uplifting, stadium-ready pop-rap empowerment anthem. Rihanna handles a soaring, motivational hook while Nicki delivers verses about overcoming odds and rising above haters. 6. “Save Me” A stripped-back, emotional ballad where Nicki leans heavily into unvarnished singing. 7. “Moment 4 Life” (feat. Drake) A career-defining celebratory track. With a lush violin-driven beat and a triumphant guest verse from Drake, the song captures the euphoria of reaching the top of the music industry. 8. “Check It Out” (with will.i.am) An electro-hop dance track built around an unmistakable, high-energy sample of The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star”. 9. “Blazin'” (feat. Kanye West) A high-octane track featuring a cosmic, guitar-laced rock-rap instrumental and a scene-stealing guest contribution from Kanye West. 10. “Here I Am” A mid-tempo R&B groove driven by a knocking Swizz Beatz production.11. “Dear Old Nicki” A deeply personal, piano-backed retrospective. 12. “Your Love” The album’s breakthrough solo pop-rap lead single. Sampling Annie Lennox’s “No More ‘I Love You’s'”, it blends sweet, sun-drenched melodies with sharp lyrical delivery.13. “Last Chance” (feat. Natasha Bedingfield) A synth-pop crossover closer that fuses Natasha Bedingfield’s soaring vocals with Nicki’s rapid-fire delivery, serving as a grand finale to the standard edition.

Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, functions structurally as a tale of two discs. The standard 19-track CD is famously split down the middle: a chaotic, hyper-aggressive hip-hop first half helmed by her unhinged alter ego Roman Zolanski, followed by a polarising, unapologetic dive into maximalist EDM-pop. 1. Roman Holiday – The album opens with Roman Zolanski at his peak. Featuring sweeping operatic shifts, manic vocal inflections, an explosive declaration of artistic lawlessness. 2. Come on a Cone – Avant-garde battle rap the beat relies on minimalist, off-kilter spacing. Famously featuring her sudden melodic outbursts to taunt adversaries. It remains one of her most unhinged underground moments. 3. I Am Your Leader (feat. Rick Ross & Cam’ron) – Nicki pitches her tone down several octaves to project massive authority. 4. Beez in the Trap (feat. 2 Chainz) – Arguably the rap highlight of the album. Nicki delivers a cold, steady, deadpan flow that perfectly complements 2 Chainz’s legendary, laid-back guest appearance. 5. HOV Lane – High-speed braggadocio. Rapping over a chaotic instrumental showcases her technical versatility and breath control. 6. Roman Reloaded (feat. Lil Wayne) – Relying on a barrage of gun-cock clicks and heavy percussion before handing off the baton to Lil Wayne for a classic mixtape-style closing verse. 7. Champion (feat. Nas, Drake & Young Jeezy) – Serving as the bridge between the album’s aggressive rap half and emotional pop side, this track finds Nicki opening up about personal struggle. Backed by an all-star line-up—Nas, Drake, and Young Jeezy—the record delivers rare emotional weight and stadium-sized gravity. 8. Right By My Side (feat. Chris Brown) – Moving completely away from Roman’s darkness, Nicki deploys clean, airy vocals on an upbeat R&B ballad about longing and romance. 9. Sex in the Lounge (feat. Lil Wayne & Bobby V) It leans heavily into a sultry, club-lounge atmosphere. 10. Starships – A massive commercial juggernaut. While it alienated hip-hop purists, its pure pop euphoria remains undeniable. 11. Pound the Alarm – Rave anthem. Heavy synth swells and rhythmic siren-like drops. It is designed explicitly for festivals and clubs, pushing her vocal deliveries into hyper-energetic chant territory. 12. Whip It –  This track features rapid-fire dance beats and a repetitive, high-energy hook. It moves away from her rap identity entirely, serving as a display of vocal adaptability. 13. Automatic – Electronic dance-pop. 14. Beautiful Sinner – Driving electro-pop with a darker, more dramatic lyrical undertone. 15. Marilyn Monroe – Melodramatic, mid-tempo pop ballad that represents her most direct attempt at a mainstream radio ballad. 16. Young Forever – Features an expansive, soaring chorus aimed at generating an emotional, lighters-in-the-air moment. It handles themes of legacy and timelessness over clean synth lines. 17. Fire Burns – This track strips away the relentless EDM synths for a more organic, atmospheric R&B-pop beat. Nicki delivers a genuinely venomous vocal performance targeted at an unfaithful ex. 18. Gun Shot (feat. Beenie Man) – Dancehall-infused pop by pairing up with dancehall legend Beenie Man. 19. Stupid Hoe – Driven by a dizzying, machine-gun drum loop and playground taunts, it is a relentless, experimental attack on her rivals. It serves as a jarring, unforgettable exclamation point to a highly chaotic record.

Onika Tanya Maraj was born on December 8, 1982 in Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Her father, was a financial executive and part-time gospel while her mother, Carol, is also a gospel singer. Her father was an alcoholic and crack cocaine addict whom Minaj described as violent to her mother and committed arson on their house in December 1987. As a child, Minaj lived with her grandmother in Saint James in a household with 11 cousins. Her mother worked many jobs in Saint James before getting her green card at the age of 24. She then moved to the Bronx, New York City, to attend Monroe College, leaving Minaj in Trinidad with her grandmother. When Minaj was five, Carol brought her to live with her and her father in South Jamaica, Queens. Minaj said she arrived in the U.S as an illegal immigrant, after which she gained legal resident status. Minaj successfully auditioned for admission to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, which focuses on visual and performing arts. A week after graduation, she was cast in the Off-Broadway play In Case You Forget. From 2002 to 2004, Minaj rapped in a New York hip hop group called Hoodstars. The son of Bowlegged Lou from Full Force, Lou$tar, recruited Minaj when he and his father heard her work. Bowlegged Lou said that back then Minaj was already doing “the crazy voices” in her vocal performance. After the group failed to secure a record deal, Full Force tried to connect Minaj with some record companies, including Warner Brothers, who expressed interest in signing Minaj out of the group but required a ghostwriter for a deal. Minaj rejected it, adamant that she will always write her songs. Minaj continued to work independently as a solo artist and uploaded her songs on her Myspace profile, sending several of them to people in the music industry. In 2006, Fendi, signed her to Dirty Money under a 180-day contract. Her original stage name, Nicki Maraj, was changed to Nicki Minaj. She released her first mixtape; Playtime Is Over in 2007. Her work was featured on the underground rap DVD The Come Up Vol. 11 and caught the attention of rapper Lil Wayne, who invited her to join his new Young Money crew.

Minaj collaborated with Wayne, but she did not sign a contract with Young Money at that time. She continued working independently on her songs, communicating with fans on social media, and booking shows. Minaj released a second mixtape, Sucka Free in 2008 and her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, in April 2009, garnering favourable coverage. In the summer of 2009, she performed on a tour headlined by Wayne featuring artists from Young Money, among others. There was a bidding war among record labels to sign her. In August, Minaj signed a recording contract with Young Money, with her deal entailing her owning her 360 rights, including her merchandising, sponsorships, endorsements, touring and publishing. In October 2010, Minaj featured on Kanye West’s “Monster”, a posse cut with Jay-Z and Rick Ross featuring vocals from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Her verse received widespread acclaim with many critics regarding it as the best verse on that song. Minaj became the first female solo artist to have seven singles simultaneously charting in the U.S. The album Pink Friday was released in November 2010 and received generally positive reviews from critics. In December 2011, Minaj was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for Pink Friday. Also, that year, she won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video for “Super Bass”. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was released in April 2012. However, the mix of hip-hop songs and mainstream pop material received mixed reviews. The Pinkprint was released in December 2014 and critics praised the production and personal lyrics. In March 2015, Minaj embarked on her third world tour entitled The Pinkprint Tour. Minaj’s recording contract with Young Money expired in 2017. Queen received multiple delays before finally being released in August 2018. Queen received generally positive reviews, with some critics deriding the album’s length and direction.

Sound quality is important and the better online Streaming services will offer superior sound quality. As always, We do encourage you to purchase Favoured albums from good online or High street record stores. Pink Friday, Queen, Pink Friday :Roman Reloaded, The Pinkprint – Label : Young Money Entertainment

Artists in upcoming issues: J. Cole, Stormzy, Drake, Lil Wayne, Little Simz, Dave……Keep Listening!!